The Development and Integration of Behaviour

Book excerpt: What regularities lie behind the development and organization of behaviour in animals and humans? One theme emerging from this book is that ideas have to flow in both directions between the different levels of analysis - between the neural and behavioural levels and between the individual and the social group. Another theme is that it is not enough to identify the many factors operating in the development and integration of behaviour. The processes must also be studied directly. Bringing together work at different levels and studying behavioural dynamics require more knowledge and expertise than any one person can usually command. Links have to be made between different disciplines and specialists have to learn to work with others who speak with what at first seem to be mutually incomprehensible scientific languages. The book illustrates how this may be achieved. The themes of this book are strongly related to the approach of Robert Hinde, in whose honour the chapters were written.